梅立思 -Culture Research Paper Chinese Table Etiquette When dining in China, there are many different table taboos manners that you must be careful to avoid. Unless you are eating soup, chopsticks are the utensil of choice for dining. That being said, there are many dos and don’ts while using them. First of all, twiddling, licking, or using chopsticks to stir up food must be avoided. You must also never use them to point at someone or make gestures. Finally, chopsticks must never be placed vertically in the center of a bowl of rice. By doing so, it will be considered to be inauspicious, since that is the way to make sacrifices. If you are invited to a formal dinner, all the dishes must never be eaten completely. This will give the host the impression that the dishes were not sufficient. A formal dinner should also always be accompanied by tea. Only the person sitting closet to the tea pot may pour the tea for themselves or others, and guests may never pour their own tea or other beverages. For dining to begin, the host and all of the guests must be seated. Once the banquet is complete, all guest must remain seated until such time as the host has left the table. To begin eating or drinking, all guests must wait for the host to begin first, then they may follow. Unless you would like to be considered a pig with no manners, you must first offer some of a dish to someone else before serving yourself. You must also never take the last piece of food on a serving platter. This would give others the impression that you are greedy, and it is bad luck. With that said, you also should never clear your plate. Second helping are alright, but if you leave your plate clean at the end of the banquet, the host will get the impression they didn’t prepare enough food. When talking at a banquet, you should keep the conversations light, and avoid talking about business, politics, or religion. To give and receive toasts, you should raise your glass with both hands to about shoulder height and avoid clinking glasses with others. In conclusion, dining in China can not only be a unique experience, but you can also have the opportunity to learn about the proper table etiquette for a different culture. There are many dos and don’ts that you should always be aware of, but if you are careful, you will have a fun and unique experience!
Chinese Table Etiquette
When dining in China, there are many different table taboos manners that you must be careful to avoid. Unless you are eating soup, chopsticks are the utensil of choice for dining. That being said, there are many dos and don’ts while using them. First of all, twiddling, licking, or using chopsticks to stir up food must be avoided. You must also never use them to point at someone or make gestures. Finally, chopsticks must never be placed vertically in the center of a bowl of rice. By doing so, it will be considered to be inauspicious, since that is the way to make sacrifices.
If you are invited to a formal dinner, all the dishes must never be eaten completely. This will give the host the impression that the dishes were not sufficient. A formal dinner should also always be accompanied by tea. Only the person sitting closet to the tea pot may pour the tea for themselves or others, and guests may never pour their own tea or other beverages. For dining to begin, the host and all of the guests must be seated. Once the banquet is complete, all guest must remain seated until such time as the host has left the table.
To begin eating or drinking, all guests must wait for the host to begin first, then they may follow. Unless you would like to be considered a pig with no manners, you must first offer some of a dish to someone else before serving yourself. You must also never take the last piece of food on a serving platter. This would give others the impression that you are greedy, and it is bad luck. With that said, you also should never clear your plate. Second helping are alright, but if you leave your plate clean at the end of the banquet, the host will get the impression they didn’t prepare enough food.
When talking at a banquet, you should keep the conversations light, and avoid talking about business, politics, or religion. To give and receive toasts, you should raise your glass with both hands to about shoulder height and avoid clinking glasses with others.
In conclusion, dining in China can not only be a unique experience, but you can also have the opportunity to learn about the proper table etiquette for a different culture. There are many dos and don’ts that you should always be aware of, but if you are careful, you will have a fun and unique experience!
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/essential/chinese-etiquette/table-manners/
http://www.advancedetiquette.com/newsletter/feb05_issue.htm